We're Not Broken, Just Bent
by vausemanxo
Summary: <html><head></head>AU. Piper's on her own with her infant son after making the choice to leave Alex behind, once again. She's carrying a secret with her, one that could put her entire family in danger. What was the reasoning behind her decision? Will she and Alex ever reunite?</html>
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first time posting here. I feel like the story's completely wrong and I'm going in the wrong direction. I would really appreciate the feedback anyone had to offer, so maybe I could better myself as a writer. Thanks in advance.**

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><p>Piper relaxed into the couch, clutching a coffee mug as she pulled her knees close to her chest. It was only 2 p.m. and she was utterly exhausted. She was beginning to wear thin lately. Being a single mother was hard. She'd heard so from nearly everyone. She would be the first to admit it was hard, but fulfilling at the same time. She wouldn't trade a moment with her son for anything in the world.<p>

He was just a year old and already Alex had missed so many firsts. Piper could remember the first time she saw him smile, it brought tears to her eyes. God, he looked so much like Alex. She'd missed the first time he was able to sit up on his own, the first time he began to crawl or took his first steps.

So many more firsts were to come, but it was unlikely that Alex would see any of it. She wouldn't see him off to his first day of school, she wouldn't see him score the winning goal at the season's last soccer game, or help him mend his broken heart that first time he really thought he was in love, dance at his wedding, know her grandchildren. This list just went on and on.

Piper placed her mug on the coffee table in front of her, slipping her hand over her mouth shortly after, suppressing a sob when she noticed her son was watching her. He was still so young, he wouldn't pay any mind to her crying. Still, she hated to do it in front of him. He looks so much like Alex. She repeated to herself. He was missing out too.

Alex had question herself, doubting that those motherly instincts would kick in for her. Piper knew better, Alex would be a wonderful mother to their son.

The baby stumbled toward Piper, dragging his teddy bear behind him. Piper couldn't pry the thing outta his hands. Alex had gotten it for him the day she found out Piper was finally pregnant. She couldn't imagine a day when they were happier. They held each other, laughed, cried, celebrated. It was one of the few memories that helped Piper through another hard day.

Her arms stretched out toward her son as his pace picked up a bit. Piper scooped him up, tickling him as he began to wriggle around on her lap. He giggled uncontrollably, staring up at his mother with those emerald green eyes. Alex.

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><p><em>"Piper, are you sure about this?" Alex readjusted her glasses as she looked over a few brochures that were spread across the counter. All containing some sort of information on nearby fertility clinics.<em>

_The blonde looked over at her, disappointment in her eyes. "I thought you said you wanted this with me. I know I want it with you."_

_It was just a couple of months ago that Piper had confessed she wanted a baby with Alex, who was completely perplexed by the idea in the beginning. What kind of mothers would they really be? To be quite honest Piper was narcissistic and self-centered, which suited Alex just fine, but how would that affect their child? Then again she had such a kind heart, she could be so caring toward others; when she really wanted to be._

_"Don't look so sad, kid." Alex slipped her hand into Piper's, giving it a gentle squeeze. It was all the reassurance Piper needed, for now. "Tell me again, how this works."_

_At first they had opted to go with adoption, but the process seemed to be long and grueling, and they felt as though the odds wouldn't be in their favor. After checking with a few adoption agenices it seemed to be more of a popularity contest than anything._

_Eventually they had settled on what they thought would be the perfect decision. Alex's eggs were to be taken, inseminated and then placed in Piper. She was ecstatic about the whole idea. Just the thought of carrying Alex's child completely overjoyed her._

_They were in such bliss, things were amazing between them so far. The two of them had gotten married nearly a year ago and now they were discussing having their first child._

_Piper moved closer to Alex, standing next to her as she sat on one of the bar stools. Piper's arm slipped around the taller woman's waist, her head laying against her shoulder. "Alright, well, long story short.. you and I are going to make a baby together." It sounded a bit patronizing, but she meant well by her words._

_Alex pulled Piper onto her lap, brushing her hair behind her ear while leaving a trail of kisses down the blonde's jaw. "Maybe we should start practicing now." Piper's eyes closed instinctively, her head tilting slightly to the side, granting Alex the access she needed._

_Piper's eyes opened slowly, squinting a bit as she fell deep into thought. "Al.." She spoke, barely above a whisper._

_"Hmm?" Alex hummed between kisses, lightly sucking on the blonde's pulse point._

_"What do you want to name the baby?"_

_"Really, Piper?" Alex nearly whined in frustration. "I think we've got some time before we've gotta think of baby names. Don't you think you should be pregnant first?"_

_Piper smiled innocently at Alex, who couldn't help but chuckle. She's just so cute. Alex thought._

_"Nothing that's completely overused. I want the name to be unique, not odd. Something simple, but bold."_

_"Piper.."_

_"I'm terrible with picking out names. What if I choose one and they hate it? What if I hate it later?"_

_Alex knew this was what she did best, she could rant for hours if allowed to. She couldn't help but love her for it, though. "Piper.."_

_"What about Owen for a boy? No, God, I hate it already. Riley for a girl? But what if people just assume she's a boy because of the name. I just ca-"_

_Alex leaned forward, pressing her lips softly against Piper's. She was never usually this neurotic, but Alex just assumed it was the excitement._

_Piper pulled away in a haze as Alex smirked. "I had a feeling that would shut you up. Now, listen.. calm the fuck down, alright?" She cocked an eyebrow, seeing that she now had Piper's full attention. "We have so much time. We'll figure this out."_

_"Well, maybe we could practice now.."_

_Alex nearly beamed from ear to ear. "Thank God, I thought you'd never ask."_

_They both stood from the bar stool. Piper nearly knocking Alex over as she bolted toward the stairs._

_"Hey, don't start without me." Alex yelled._

_She quickly caught up with her wife, grabbing her hand as they made their way up the stairs._

_"I've always liked the name Elliot for a boy, maybe a girl too."_

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><p>Piper placed the little Alex mini-me back on his feet. He held onto her knee, steadying himself while staring up at her.<p>

He smiled. She melted. Those eyes piercing her soul.

Piper's gaze couldn't keep his attention occupied and before long he turned to run toward something else in the room that had caught his eye. He tripped over the rug near the table, falling forward and hitting the floor with a thud. Piper rose to her feet quickly, rushing over to him. She grabbed him, inspecting every inch of his body for some sort of injury.

"Elliot Alexander, don't you scare me like that."

The expression on his face was so smug it caused her to chuckle. She had obviously overreacted, as any good mother would do. "You do these things to me on purpose, don't you?"

Piper kissed Elliot's left cheek then his right, repeating the process a couple times as he began to laugh. "Tough guy, huh? Just like your mommy." Of course she wasn't referring to herself. She thought of herself as fragile, weak even. Alex had always been the strong one, keeping things together when they threatened to fall apart.

Piper missed her. God, she missed Alex more than anything.

Elliot's arm draped over Piper's shoulder, his head laying against her chest while he let out a yawn.

"How about we take a nap, hmm?" She glanced down at him, picking up his teddy bear from the floor. She knew if she didn't bring it he would wake up crying for it later. "I know I could use one."

Sometimes she felt somewhat silly, having so many one sided conversations. But Polly had reassured her it was something she needed to do, for developmental purposes. As much as Piper spoke to Elliot he would be talking in no time.

Piper carried him into the bedroom, laying him on her bed. She knew it was frowned upon, but she loved having him so close to her. And of course he loved the contact as well.

He snuggled into his mother, his teddy bear the only thing between them.

Piper wrapped her arm around him, her eyes closing slowly. But her thoughts wouldn't allow her to sleep. She kept thinking about Alex and everything that had happened.

Elliot was snoring already, which brought a smile to Piper's face. He's just like Alex.

She couldn't control herself any longer, the tears that had previously threatened to spill over rolled down her cheeks. Her sobs were frequent, but quiet. She hated herself for what she had done, what she had said. She knew it was in her best interest. She did it for herself, for Elliot, for Alex.

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><p><em>"Piper, please." Alex pleaded with her, begged even. Her throat was burning as she fought back the tears she thought would perceive her as weak. She was weak now, though. She didn't know how to fight against this.<em>

_Piper was frantically running around their bedroom, gathering clothes from their closet as well as dressers. She threw them into a suitcase that was open on the bed. Her eyes were red and puffy, she'd cried all day. This was the hardest thing she would ever have to do. She had to, though. She kept repeating that to herself. It had to be done._

_Alex grabbed onto Piper's wrist spinning her around to face her, placing her other hand against her wife's cheek. "Don't leave me, don't go. I need you." She leaned in to kiss her._

_Piper turned away, tears slowly sliding down her cheeks. Alex felt like she had just gotten the breath knocked out of her. Was this really happening? Piper was leaving, again. She was breaking Alex's heart, again._

_She leaned against the wall for support, her knees felt like they were going to give in at any second. She slumped to the ground, no longer fighting against the urge to cry. She hadn't cried this hard since her mother died. She could barely breathe between sobs, it felt like she was having a panic attack. The room was closing in on her. The one person who had promised to stay by her side through better or worse was leaving, just like that. No warning, nothing._

_Piper closed the suitcase, zipping it up, her vision blurry as the tears continued to fall from her eyes. "Alex.." She spoke quietly while keeping her head down, refusing to see the raven haired beauty in such a state. "I know you don't understand why I'm doing this, but I have to. I can't explain, but things have changed." So vague. Vague was good, though. Vague would work. Piper couldn't tell her the real reason behind it._

_"I thought we were happy."_

_We were, we are. Piper thought, but didn't dare say aloud. Her heart was shattered, completely, into a million little pieces that would never be reesembled. She would never love anyone again. She couldn't. Alex was it for her._

_"What about the baby? That's my baby too." Piper could hear the hurt, betrayal and anger in Alex's voice. She couldn't blame her._

_"I don't know. I'm still trying to decide." Piper was only about three months pregnant, she wanted Alex to think she was still keeping her options open. Even though she's the one who pressed this._

_Alex stood up, furrowing her brows. "Still trying to decide?" Now it was mostly anger. "You told me you wanted a baby. You said it would brinig us closer together. You claimed we'd be the perfect family. Now what? You're just going to leave, get rid of the baby and forget about me?" She'd never been so hurt, only Piper had gotten close enough to hurt her like this. She'd allowed it both times. She let her in, hoping this was it. She would give her heart to Piper and they'd live happily ever after. Bullshit._

_"I can't do this.." Piper couldn't go back and forth with Alex any longer. She would change her mind about the whole thing and blow her cover, putting both of them in danger._

_She grabbed her suitcase off the bed, quickly making her way down the hall toward the front door._

_"Piper, you can't tell me this is what you really want."_

_Silence. Piper never even turned around to look at Alex, who was trailing closely behind her._

_"Please, I'm asking you one more time.. please, don't go."_

_Silence. She couldn't look into those eyes, not even one more time. She just couldn't see how badly she'd broken her._

_Piper opened the front door, the cab she'd called earlier waiting outside for her._

_Alex couldn't control her anger, she wouldn't bottle it up to spare Piper's feelings now. She would surely say things she would soon regret, but in the moment she felt it was worth the risk._

_"Fuck you, Piper!"_

_Silence. Piper was crying so hard she could barely see what was in front of her, but she refused to turn around._

_"God, I fucking hate you! I hate you so much right now. You broke my heart again, and I let it happen. I was stupid to let you back in, but it won't happen again. I never want to fucking see you again. Do you hear me, Piper?! I better not ever see you again. Don't come running back to me when you can't handle things on your own. You're a narcissistic asshole who only cares about herself."_

_Piper opened the cab door, throwing her suitcase on the back seat before slipping inside._

_"Fuck you!" Alex slammed the door as hard as she could, kicking it once it was closed. She ran her fingers through her hair, wiping the tears away from her face, although they kept falling. That was it. She was gone._

_Piper leaned back against the seat of the cab, still crying as she pulled her phone from her pocket. She opened recent calls, pressing the last number she'd gotten a call from. It rang a couple times before someone was on the other line._

_"It's done." She said between sobs. "I left her, I did what you asked."_


	2. Chapter 2

**I appreciate everyone who took the time to review, I can't thank you enough! Hopefully I won't disappoint you guys with the next couple of chapters. Enjoy!**

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><p>Piper sat quietly at the kitchen table, staring blankly out of the window to her left, Elliot sitting next to her in his high chair. He'd been playing with his baby food for at least the last ten minutes, making more of a mess than anything.<p>

Her mind was somewhere else today, somewhere with Alex. Some days were better than others, today was not one of those days.

The last words she'd heard from Alex haunted her. Piper was in such a rush that she didn't even tell her she loved her before she left. How could she forget something so important? She was never going to see her again and yet it'd still slipped her mind.

"Alexander, eat. Stop playing with your food." She gave him a look and he complied, licking the baby food from his hands. He was young, but he knew Piper meant business when she called him by his middle name.

Things would be so much simpler if he would just allow her to feed him. Whenever she tried he would scream and refuse to eat until she gave up out of frustration and let him feed himself. He was so stubborn. Just like Alex. Although, she had to admit she could be quite stubborn herself.

Almost 30 minutes later, after Elliot had eaten all he'd wanted, Piper lifted him from his highchair. "Now we gotta get you cleaned up, messy boy." She ruffled his hair softly, garnering a smile from him.

Piper sat him in the tub after running his bath water and making sure the temperature was just right.

He splashed around in the water, looking up at Piper and laughing. She could think of very few things he loved more than this. Maybe he was a little like her, but mostly he was just a carbon copy of Alex.

Just as she began to wash Elliot's hair, which he hated, her phone began to ring. She got very few calls these days since she'd basically isolated herself, she'd moved clear across the country for God's sake, after what had happened with Alex.

It must've been important.

She dried her hand on her jeans, pulling her phone out of her back pocket.

Piper rolled her eyes, it was her mother. She really didn't want to answer, but she knew if she didn't that Carol would just keep calling.

She reluctantly unlocked her phone, holding it against her ear between her cheek and shoulder while she went back to washing Elliot's hair. "Hi, mother."

"Piper?"

Honestly, who else would it be? She hoped her own mother could recognize her voice. Something about her mother's voice was different, though. There was still that bitter undertone, but it didn't sound quite right. It wasn't the same.

"Piper, it's your father. Something's happened."

Piper immediately began to panic. Of course her mother had only called to deliver terrible news, she never called any other time. She had never approved of Piper's relationship with Alex and she was less than enthused when she learned her daughter would be carrying another woman's child. Which only forced yet another wedge between the two of them.

"What happened, what's wrong with daddy?" Bill was one of the few people who actually supported Piper, in anything she wanted to do. He had welcomed Alex into the family, while Carol had been so cold toward her. Which wasn't unusual. Piper had warned Alex of her mother many times before they'd actually met.

"He suffered a heart attack early this morning. Piper, he's been asking for you."

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><p>Piper was in New York again, for the first time in nearly two years. After the call from her mother she had gotten on the first flight from Seattle.<p>

This was the only place she really considered home, but she felt so uneasy here. She hadn't been here since the night she'd left Alex. So many amazing memories had been made here, but that was what really stood out for her.

She stepped out of the cab in front of the hospital where they were keeping her father.

She held Elliot on her right hip, while draping his diaper bag over her left shoulder. It was all she'd brought. She had packed a bag for herself then forgotten it, leaving it sitting by the front door when she left. She was so distraught by her mother's phone call.

She didn't want to lose one of the very few people who truly cared about her and loved her for who she was. She had already lost Alex.

"Dad.." Piper spoke quietly, afraid she may startle her father. He looked so pale and weak, she'd never seen him this way before. She wanted to cry.

Her father's eyes opened slowly and he smiled at the sight of her. Piper smiled back, her eyes full of tears. "Hi, Elliot and I came to see you."

Elliot was clinging to Piper, his arms wrapped around her neck tightly. He was frightened.

Piper rubbed her son's back, hoping it would comfort him, if only just a little. He kept glancing back over his shoulder at his grandfather. He'd only seen Piper's parents a couple of times, he wasn't familiar with them. They were strangers.

Bill raised his hand and Piper grabbed ahold of it quickly, squeezing tightly. A few tears escaped her. She didn't want him to see her so upset, but she had no control over it. Her emotions were getting the best of her.

He didn't speak, just closed his eyes again. His smile never faltered, but his grip suddenly loosened. He had been waiting for her, for this. He needed to see his daughter and grandson just one more time before he gave in.

That was it. He was gone.

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><p>Piper's hands were trembling as she walked up the marble pathway toward Polly's front door. She hadn't seen her in so long and she hated the circumstances their reunion was under. She felt so helpless and she knew her mother would only make matters worse.<p>

She needed someone, she needed Alex. But her best friend would have to do. This substitute couldn't compare to the love of her life, but she had no other choice.

Piper knocked a couple of times, readjusting Elliot in her arms afterwards. He had fallen asleep during the cab ride here, which honestly she was grateful for. She needed some time with Polly without any distractions.

After a couple of moments the door swung open and Piper was greeted with a sympathetic look from Polly, she'd already heard.

Piper moved in closer to her best friend, completely breaking down right in front of her.

Polly's arms wrapped around Piper, as well as Elliot, who was squashed between the two of them. Although, he didn't seem to mind. He hadn't made a move.

"Piper, I'm so sorry."

Piper just nodded, sobbing quietly into Polly's shoulder.

"Come on, honey. Get inside." Piper was released from Polly's grip as she moved from the doorway, granting Piper entrance to her home.

It looked just the same as it had the last time she'd been here. It made her smile a little inwardly, for a second it was like things had never changed. None of this had happened. They were all still happy.

"I heard from your mother." Polly broke their silence once again. "How are you holding up?"

Piper immediately began to make herself at home. She knew Polly would suggest so, anyway. She walked into the living room, sitting down on the couch with Elliot still wrapped up in her arms.

She glanced over at Polly out of the corner of her eye, nearly seething after such an ignorant question. She couldn't be that clueless, could she? Maybe it was her way of getting Piper to open up and talk about everything that was bothering her, but she could never be quite sure with Polly.

"I'm not holding up, Pol." Piper scoffed under her breath, her eyes closing as she sighed heavily. This was just too much. "I honestly don't think things could get much worse. I'm losing everyone. I don't know what to do. I feel so alone. I know I have Elliot and I love him more than anything, but.." She trailed off, the Alex subject was still too touchy. She decided against bringing it up. "I don't know."

"You're not alone, Piper. We're all here for you."

It was a familiar voice that came from behind her, but it wasn't Pete. She turned her head, her eyes widening when she finally saw who those last few words had come from.

Larry. Fuckin' Larry.

What the hell was he doing here? He was the last person she wanted to see right now. It had been so hard for her to be rid of him, now here he was again. They had dated briefly, but their relationship was doomed right from the start. He had a knack for showing up at the worst times.

"Larry, hi. It's nice to see you again." Piper forced a fake smile, her tone deceiving her words.

"You don't know how good it is to see you. I wasn't sure I would again." He sat down next to her. He was uncomfortably close.

Piper shifted slightly in her seat, trying to nonchalantly move away from him. He was staring at her. God, what the fuck was wrong with him? "I don't mean to intrude." Then why are you? She thought.

"I just wanted to let you know how sorry I am about your father. He was a good man."

His eyes kept wandering over her, the negative tension between them almost unbearable for Piper.

Larry's focus paused on her neck for a moment. She looked over at him, instantly realizing what it was about her neck that had caught his eye. He'd noticed her scar. She quickly covered it with her hand, his gaze reverting back to hers after.

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><p><em>Piper came to with a jolt. She gasped loudly while her eyes darted around the room, trying her to best to take in her surroundings though her vision was a bit blurry. Nothing was familiar, she'd never been here before.<em>

_She was sitting up right, her hands tied tightly behind her back. She tried breaking free, but to no avail._

_The last thing she remembered was being surrounded by three men, maybe four. They were spouting something about Kubra, Alex, revenge. Their accents were thick, she couldn't quite understand them. And things were somewhat fuzzy at the moment._

_Her head was pounding, accompanied by a loud ringing sound in her ears that just wouldn't let up. What the hell had they done to her?_

_"Hello?" Piper finally managed to croak out, her throat so dry it hurt to speak._

_She leaned forward slightly, still trying to loosen the grip the ropes had around her wrists. Her heart was beating rapidly, her breathing unsteady. She wanted to scream, but her throat wouldn't allow it. Her screams had disguised themselves as muffled cries._

_"Well, hello there sleeping beauty. I was wondering when you were going to come to. I was beginning to think we had killed you there for a moment." Someone appeared from within the dark shadows of the room, chuckling eerily._

_Piper squinted slightly, trying to focus on his face._

_He pulled a chair up directly in front of her, sitting down and leaning in close to her. His hand was on her shoulder, gripping it too tightly, causing a sharp pain to singe through her._

_"Listen closely, we've gotta make this quick. I have a few more important matters to deal with, as well. I can't waste all of my time with you."_

_She finally recognized him. It was Kubra. What did he want with her? She thought this feud between he and Alex had been put to rest long ago._

_"I have a proposition for you." He spoke up, interrupting her thoughts. "I've had my men watching you for a while now, waiting for the right time to exact my revenge. Now seems to be that time."_

_She was quiet, terrified to even utter just a single word. She wasn't sure what Kubra was capable of, but she wouldn't test him._

_"How about I just get straight to the point, hmm?" He questioned, a sinister smile creeping up onto his lips._

_Piper didn't want to cry, she refused to reveal just how vulnerable she really was. She feared for her life and she couldn't keep the tears from welling up around her ocean colored irises. But she wouldn't allow them to fall._

_"I'm not going to kill you, so get that look offa your face." His tone was dripping with disgust, he couldn't stand the sight of her. "Alex crossed me.." He leaned back in his chair, pulling a combat knife from his pocket. "And I just can't let her get away with that. What kind of example would that set for everyone else? She betrayed my trust, a lesson must be learned from that."_

_Kubra stood from his chair, slowly walking around Piper. She watched his every move, somehow convinced it would help if he were to suddenly attack her._

_He stopped behind her, grabbing a fistful of her hair. He jerked her head back aggressively. He leaned down closer to her, his lips just a mere inch away from her ear. He let out a low, throaty chuckle as he brought the knife to her throat._

_Piper winced slightly at the pain, gritting her teeth when she felt his hot breath against her ear. It made her sick. It was then that she felt the cold blade grazing against her skin. She squirmed in her seat, trying to get away._

_He pressed the blade into her skin, slicing an inch long incision into the side of her neck as a way of objecting against her struggle to break free._

_"Stop moving!" Kubra nearly growled. He was growing rather impatient with her._

_She could feel the blood descending down her neck, but there was no pain yet. He was going to kill her, she was sure of it. She would never see Alex again. What was the last thing she'd said to her? She couldn't remember, she had no idea what their last conversation had been about. It would be all Alex was left with. Her last memory of Piper that conversation she just couldn't recall._

_Kubra slid the knife back into his pocket, still lingering near Piper's ear. "My only way to get to her is through you. Nothing I could do would hurt more than you leaving, breaking her heart. She'll never recover from that. I can see how much she cares for. You're her life, but that'll be taken away from her soon. I know you're thinking nothing can keep the two of you apart, not even me.. but you might want to reevaluate that. If you tell her, if you try to run with her I will find you. I'll hunt you down and put a bullet in that pretty little head of yours, right in front of her before I slit her fucking throat. These aren't empty threats, I promise if it's the last thing I do, I will kill both of you. Am I clear?"_


	3. Chapter 3

The funeral was extravagant to say the least. Leave it to Carol to care more about appearances rather than her own husband's death.

Piper was dazed during the services, lulling in and out during the preachers sermon. She just couldn't believe that her father was gone. Now she felt like she had no one left. Sure, there was Polly, but honestly she had never been at the top of Piper's list.

Once the services were over she was immediately greeted with hugs, hand shakes, sympathetic looks, condolences. It was tiring, especially after all the crying. She just wanted to be left alone.

She missed Elliot. She decided against bringing him, so Polly agreed to watch him for her.

Everyone had left, or so she had thought, she finally had a moment to herself.

She sat quietly, her head fell back and her eyes closed as she took in a deep breath to calm herself. How would she ever get through this? Her mother would definitely be of no help. She knew that for sure.

Something caught her attention, bringing her back to reality. The sound was faint, but clearly enough to alarm her. Considering her past she was a bit jumpy, though.

Piper lifted her head, looking toward the back of the church for the disturbance. She had thought she was alone, but she was wrong. There she was, sitting silently in the last pew. Alex.

She wasted no time rising to her feet. It was like something had taken over her, she felt this undeniable pull toward Alex. It couldn't be stopped. Before she knew it she was running down the aisle to her destination.

Alex stood just as she reached her, catching Piper while she nearly collapsed into her arms.

Piper was crying almost hysterically, mumbling something that was completely incoherent to Alex.

"Shh.. I've got you." Alex whispered.

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><p><em>Somehow Polly had convinced Piper it would be a wonderful idea to go out, maybe have a drink or two and try to relax and get things off her mind. It wouldn't help, but Polly was persistent. It was much easier to just give in to her requests rather than listen to her nag about it the rest of the night.<em>

_Polly offered to watch Elliot, and of course Piper trusted her, but she hadn't been away from her son for even just a few hours since the day he had been born. 'Which is exactly why you need some time to yourself.' She believed those were Polly's exact words._

_Larry had happily volunteered to be Piper's escort for the night. She loathed the guy, but honestly she was afraid to be alone in the city now. Kubra could be lurking just around the corner. She was sure he still kept a watchful eye over her, as well Alex._

_"This place is great, I come here all the time. You'll love it."_

_Just the sound of his voice nauseated Piper, he hadn't shut up since they'd left Polly's place. He was a little overly enthusiastic about taking Piper out, which made him even more annoying. If that were even possible._

_"Oh yeah, with who?" She questioned as he held the door open for her and she stepped inside. Larry had never been much of a people person, in other words it was difficult for him to make friends. His behavior now a perfect example of why._

_He laughed, waving off her question._

_Piper rolled her eyes, swiftly making her way over to the bar and taking a seat. Larry following suit just seconds after._

_It was so loud Piper could barely hear herself think, which was perfect. It helped to drown out the sound of Larry's voice as well. He kept talking, she kept nodding. She hoped she hadn't been agreeing to something she would regret later._

_..._

_"Alright, pick out the next one for me." Alex laughed rather loudly, staring across the table at Nicky._

_This had become a weekly tradition for them of some sorts. Since Piper left Alex refused to commit to anyone else again, ever. She'd met Nicky shortly after Piper's sudden departure and they'd immediately became friends._

_The rules of their game were quite simple really. One would pick out a girl from the bar for the other, then they'd see just how far they could get with her. They had a whole points system set up for it. The two of them were so competitive they took it a bit too seriously._

_Nicky scanned the room carefully. "Shit, looks like it's slim pickin's tonight."_

_"Come on, just pick one."_

_"Alright, alright.. keep your panties on, Vause." Nicky looked the room over once more, her eyes finally settling on the bar. "I got one for you. How about that blonde over there, at the bar?"_

_Alex turned her head, her smile quickly fading. She couldn't be sure, but she could've sworn she was looking at Piper. She thought it was just her mind playing tricks on her. It wouldn't be the first time it had happened._

_She was facing away from them, but just as Alex was about to look away she turned her head. It was her. It was Piper. Her breath hitched in her throat, she began to feel dizzy as everything else in the room slowly faded away. "That's Piper.." Her voice was so quiet she wasn't sure she had even said anything._

_"Man, what the fuck's wrong with you?" Alex's reaction had earned her a puzzled look from Nicky. "You look like you've just seen a ghost."_

_"It's Piper." Her voice more prominent now._

_"Holy shit. The Piper? The one who completely fucking obliterated your heart?" Well, that's one way of putting it, Alex thought._

_Alex only nodded in response, completely entranced by just the sight of her._

_"She's hot." Nicky added._

_She finally looked away from Piper, shooting a glare Nicky's way._

_Nicky just shrugged and took another swig of her beer, completely unphased by Alex's death stare._

_"Maybe I should.." Alex stopped mid-sentence, fighting with herself internally. She'd spent all this time trying to convince herself that she hated Piper, but she didn't. She had certainly pushed the memory of Piper as far back into her mind as possible, but after seeing her all those old feelings just came rushing back to her. "I'm gonna go over there."_

_"I don't know about that, doesn't sound like a good idea to me." Nicky chimed in._

_Alex stood from the table, completely ignoring Nicky's last comment. She pushed her way through the crowd, making her way toward the bar._

_"Shit, Vause. You fucking idiot." Nicky was just a short distance behind her._

_After feeling a tap against her right shoulder Piper quickly turned her head, her mouth agape as she took in the sight before her. Surely her eyes were deceiving her, it couldn't be Alex._

_Piper just wanted to lunge forward, pull Alex into a tight embrace, hold her, kiss her. She would never let her go again. She didn't care what it took, she would find a way to keep them together._

_They held each others gaze for a couple of minutes, neither of them able to speak._

_Larry placed his hand over Piper's, staring up at Alex with a glint of contempt in his eyes. "Can we help you?"_

_"Who the fuck is this?"_

_She finally spoke. God, Piper hadn't heard that voice in so long. She missed it. It wasn't quite what she had expected to hear first thing if they were ever to be reunited, though._

_"Nobody." She broke free from Larry's grasp on her, standing from her bar stool. Her body was just inches from Alex's as their eyes met once again._

_"Is he the reason why you left?" Piper sighed, breaking eye contact with Alex. She shook her head, trying her best to rid herself of the tears that had already began to form._

_Piper placed her hand on Alex's arm, which was met with much resistance. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry about everything I've put you through."_

_Alex laughed scornfully. "Are you fucking kidding me?"_

_The tears finally began to escape her, a couple rolling down her cheeks. Piper quickly wiped them away before glancing back up at Alex. "I am, Alex. I know there's nothing I could ever do to make it up to you, but I-"_

_"Just save it, Piper. Alright? You're full of shit and we both know it. I will never believe another thing you say and you have no one to blame but yourself."_

_There they were once again, the tears, they began to stream down Piper's face. She just couldn't hold it back. She had always hoped she and Alex would meet again, but she wasn't prepared. She didn't know what to say. She was so stupid to believe Alex had forgiven her by now, she hadn't even forgiven herself for what she had done._

_Alex looked down at Piper's tear stained face, that familiar pang in her heart beginning to grow. She wanted to pull Piper into her arms, tell her everything was going to be okay and all had been forgiven, but she just couldn't. She didn't trust her anymore. She had barely survived the last time Piper left._

_Larry and Nicky were left on the sidelines, with front row seats, to watch the shit show unfold right in front of them._

_"What the hell are you even doing here anyway? I thought you left the city." Alex just wasn't ready to end it yet. She wanted a few more minutes with her, even though she had all intentions of acting like a complete asshole._

_"My father died. I'm here for the funeral." Piper's voice was laced with defeat. She knew there was no way Alex would let her guard down and allow her back in, which was understandable._

_Now she really wished she hadn't asked. "I'm sorry." That was it, she just couldn't do it anymore. She couldn't stand here and talk to Piper like everything was okay, it was killing her._

_Alex turned, making her way toward the exit._

_Piper followed behind her, grabbing onto her shoulder. "Alex, wait. Don't go."_

_Alex quickly shrugged off Piper's grip, turning her head to glance back at her. "No, Piper. I will go. I'm going to leave, just like you fucking left me and it's exactly what you deserve. You get to stand there and watch me walk right outta your life, see how it feels from the other side for a change." She didn't mean any of it, but from the look in Piper's eyes she had hurt her, which was exactly what she thought she wanted. But now that it was actually happening she hated herself for it._

_She wouldn't take it back now. It was too late._

_Piper watched in anguish as Alex finally walked away from her, disappearing into the crowd._


	4. Chapter 4

**All I have to say is that you guys are great! Thanks so much for all of the positive reviews. This chapter isn't much, but I'll make up for it next time. Enjoy.**

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><p>Piper wasn't quite sure just how much time had passed. She and Alex had just been sitting there, in the back of the church. No noise, no interruptions, no arguing, just the two of them. Neither of them had even attempted to utter a word, they hadn't even looked at one another, afraid this moment may be taken away from them if they did.<p>

Alex's arm was wrapped tightly around Piper, holding her as close as she possibly could. She still needed time to filter through her emotions and to torture Piper a little by keeping her at a comfortable distance, emotionally that is. She knew she would give in eventually, but it would require much effort on Piper's behalf. Alex wouldn't make it as easy as she had the first couple of times. Piper had shattered her heart and broken her trust more than she would like to admit. She wouldn't allow it to happen again.

Piper was leaning into Alex, her eyes closed while she took the opportunity to really appreciate this moment. The sound of Alex's heart beating just like a song. Quietly sitting here with her was like a dream, one she never wanted to wake from. She couldn't even be sure it was really happening.

She finally lifted her head, looking up at Alex. She hadn't noticed yet, she seemed to be caught up in whatever this was as well.

Piper's fingers gently grazed against the side of Alex's cheek, her attention finally turning to the blonde. They both smiled and for the first time in a long time Piper finally felt safe, now that she was back in them there was so place safer than Alex's arms. She knew that now.

"What?" Piper had this look in her eyes that Alex just couldn't quite figure out.

"You're just so beautiful."

Alex chuckled, squeezing Piper just a bit tighter against her side. She was sure her cheeks were flushed, but hopefully it wasn't as noticeable as she assumed it was. "You're full of shit."

Piper swatted her arm playfully. "Shush, we're in church."

The silence fell over them again, the room so quiet there was a ringing in their ears. It gave Piper a moment to think.

She thought about what she had done to Alex, how she had lied to her and left. She betrayed her trust. Something that would be hard for her to earn back, maybe even impossible. She wasn't sure how Alex felt about the situation. They still needed to discuss it, if she was willing. Maybe if she had just told Alex about the situation she was stuck in they could've gotten around it, maybe things would be different for them.

"Alex?"

She glanced down at Piper, her smile still present. "Yeah?"

Piper was hesitant to say the least, but she felt she owed Alex an explanation. She needed to know the real reason behind why she left. She needed to know about Elliot.

"Can I tell you something?"

Alex nodded. "Of course.. you can tell me anything."

The right words to say just weren't coming to her. She had no idea how to break it all to Alex, but she deserved to know. About all of it. It was the least Piper could do.

"Well, I-" As soon as Piper began to speak her phone rang. She pulled her phone from her purse and glanced at it, noticing that the call was from Polly.

She moved away from the pew, reluctantly leaving the warmth and comfort of Alex's arms.

Piper quickly answered, but wasn't given enough time to speak.

"Piper, where the hell are you? Do you know what time it is?"

She could hear Elliot crying in the background. He had never been separated from Piper this long and obviously he wasn't handling it very well.

"Polly, I'm so sorry. I hadn't kept track of the time. I'll be there as soon as I can."

She could hear Polly sigh through the phone, most likely in relief. She was clearly frustrated with Elliot's crankiness. "He's been like this for almost an hour. He needs you."

"I'm on my way." She hung up with Polly, turning to look back at Alex.

Piper walked back over to her, taking her hand and pulling her up from her seat. "Can you do me a favor?"

Alex leaned into her slightly, her eyebrow arching as she smirked. "Depends.. what kinda favor?"

"Nothing like that, perv." She laughed, looking up into those emerald green eyes. For a second she had completely forgotten what she was going to say. It was those eyes, the same as Elliot's. She could get lost in them.

"You were saying.."

The sound of Alex's voice helped to guide her back. Although, she was perfectly fine with being lost for a while. It would be a welcomed distraction. "Can you take me to Polly's place, please?"

"Wow, we haven't even been reunited for more than a day and you're already asking me for favors." Alex joked.

Obviously Alex's tone hadn't been quite sarcastic enough and Piper had taken her words seriously, only nodding in response to her comment. "Alright, I guess I could take a cab. I just thought since it's so late and yo-"

"Piper, shut up. You talk too much." She wrapped an arm around the blonde's shoulders, leading her toward the exit. "I'll drive you." She had never imagined that things between herself and Piper would be so civil. She had envisioned yelling, screaming, tears, cursing, the two of them making a scene in some public place. It was nothing like this. This reality was much better. She still felt fragile and vulnerable around Piper, but her tough exterior would never reveal how she really felt.

Piper's arm instinctively wrapped around Alex's waist as she followed her lead. She looked up at her, failing miserably at an attempt to hide how how happy she was in that moment. Her smile gave it all away and she knew she needed to enjoy it, because soon it would all be over. They wouldn't be happy and wrapped up in each others arms.

The majority of the car ride was silent. Alex had been questioning her decision to actually go through with all of this, she'd never had much luck with letting her guard down and allowing Piper in. Why had she even gone to the funeral? Why couldn't she just stay away from the one person who knew all the right ways to hurt her? Maybe this would be it. Maybe she would drop her off, drive away and never see her again. It was the least desired of all the many scenarios she'd come up with in her head, but it was still a possibility none the less.

Piper kept trying to come up with the perfect words to say to Alex, but was there any perfect way to let her know that she had kept their son from her for over a year now? She really didn't think so. She wanted to start over, find a way for them to be happy together. But she knew after Alex found out about Elliot the kind of relationship she wanted for them would not be in their future.

"Alex, I want you to come in with me." Piper finally spoke, breaking their silence. She could hear her heart thumping loudly against her chest. If she weren't wiser, she would swear it was pounding so hard her ribs were nearing their breaking point.

Alex looked over at Piper, confused. She wasn't sure what exactly it was she was getting at. "..okay." She was reluctant to respond, but that pleading look in Piper's eyes ultimately won her over.

They both stepped out of the car, slamming their doors simultaneously.

This was it, she couldn't keep Elliot a secret from her any longer. Once Piper opened that door and introduced Alex to their son there would be no turning back.

Piper's hand was noticeably shaky while she turned the door knob, slowly pushing open the front door. Alex was close behind her, which made her even more nervous about the impending events.

Polly swiftly stood from the couch, Elliot squirming in her arms. She handed him off to Piper, immediately turning to head toward the stairs. "Thank God. Here, take him. I can't handle anymore of this." She had taken notice to Alex, but was too exhausted to care about what was really going on.

Elliot immediately began to calm down once he was in Piper's arms. Both of his hands were balled into fists, holding on tightly to his mother's shirt. It was if he hadn't seen her in weeks, like he wasn't sure she would ever return. His face nuzzled into the side of her neck, just being held by Piper bringing him much more comfort than anything Polly could ever do. "I missed you too." She whispered against his ear.

"What's with the kid? Polly can't take care of her own baby?"

Piper turned to face Alex, taking a deep breath in and then exhaling slowly. She had to do this, it was now or never. "He isn't Polly's baby." She paused momentarily, trying to gather her thoughts as she chewed on her bottom lip. "Alex, this is Elliot. He's your son."


	5. Chapter 5

Piper hadn't spoken to Alex in days and it was beginning to worry her. She'd tried getting into contact with her multiple times, daily, but Alex refused to return her calls. She wasn't sure which frightened her more, the thought of Piper breaking her already fragile heart for a third time or the challenge of motherhood. Piper knew Alex would be wonderful with Elliot, she just needed time to adjust to the idea. She had no idea the boy existed and suddenly he was a big part of her life.

"Still no answer?" Piper heard from behind her.

She glanced back over her shoulder at Polly while shaking her head slightly. She placed her phone on the counter in front of her, staring down at it, willing it to ring. Nothing ever turned out the way she planned it or even hoped it would be, this was no different. The difference between what she hoped would be and reality were vast.

"Honestly, Piper, what did you expect? That she would just be okay with you keeping her son from her? It's fucked up." Polly stated bluntly while she walked around to the opposite side of the counter to face Piper.

Piper rolled her eyes, unwilling to admit that Polly was right. It was fucked up and she did regret the decision she had made, but it was over now. She couldn't go back and change it or she would have. She would start over, tell Alex everything, find a way to keep their family together.

"You just don't understand."

Polly placed her hands flat against the counter, leaning forward a little. Her curiosity peaked by Piper's vague statement. "Then explain. Tell me why you left, because I've never been able to figure it out. I thought you were happy with Alex then you were just gone. She's not the only one you left, you know."

Piper looked up at Polly after hearing her words, feeling a wave of guilt wash over her. She hadn't even considered how her best friend would feel about her sudden disappearance. "I'm sorry." She whispered. She had been saying that a lot lately.

"Piper, just tell me."

The blonde looked away from her best friend, shrugging her shoulders. "It doesn't matter." There was no way Polly would learn of the real reason why she had left so suddenly before Alex. She wasn't sure how much longer she could dodge the subject, though.

"I just wish she would call. The silence is worse than anything she could ever say to me." Piper laid her head against the counter, groaning. It wasn't her intention, but she just kept pushing Alex further and further away.

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><p><em>Finally reality began to set in. Alex's heart rate accelerated, she was sweaty and felt faint. This was her son, she couldn't deny him even if she wanted to. He looked just like her. Piper had destroyed her now, before she was broken, but now she was beyond repair. Her heart had been ripped out and stepped on so many times, Piper just kept coming up with new ways to hurt her. It was devastating to say the least. Soon, though, the anger began to set in.<em>

_"So.." She closed her eyes tightly, wringing her hands at her sides._

_Piper had always put her needs, her wants ahead of everyone else's including Alex's, but this was a whole new level._

_"You kept him from me all this time?" She opened her eyes, but she just couldn't look at Piper. She was disgusted with her. Rage was growing within her by the second. "Piper, he's my son and you should've at least fucking considered me in this. Didn't you even once think about how I feel? What I would want? That I need to see my son and he needs to see me."_

_Piper opened her mouth, but no words came out. What could she say or do to make this better? Nothing. No matter how many times she apologized, it wouldn't make up for the time Alex had missed with their son. She had no idea what to say. She could tell her the truth, but it was a risk._

_"Can I just explain, please?" Finally, something. Piper thought._

_"No, you can't! There's no explanation for this, there's no excuse for you keeping him from me. Did you think I wouldn't be a good mother, that I couldn't give him everything he needed? Is that why you left?" It hurt to talk about it, it hurt to think about it. The wound still seemed so fresh even after all this time._

_"Alex, no." Piper stepped closer to her, placing her hand on Alex's arm hoping it would somehow reassure her. "That's not it at all. There's no doubt in my mind that you would be an amazing mother."_

_Alex knew it seemed as if she welcomed the pain. She was always inviting Piper back into her life, and Piper was always accompanied by heartbreak. She expected a different outcome after Piper had promised to never betray her as she did before, but of course that was a lie. Although, that was nothing compared to Piper keeping their son a secret from her._

_"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Alex's eyes narrowed as she stared over at the blonde, her tone cold and detached. "Do you enjoy doing shit like this to me? Do you get some kinda sick, twisted pleasure from hurting me? Because honestly I can't think of another fucking reason why you would treat me this way."_

_Piper felt the tears stinging her eyes as she listened to Alex's words. "It's not like that. I hate myself for hurting you the way that I have. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but maybe if you just gave me a chance to explain you would understand why I did what I did. I don't wanna hide anything else from you, I don't wanna hurt you anymore. I love you so much, Alex." She sighed softly, it felt so good to let Alex know that she still loved her. But she wasn't sure if she would actually believe it or not. All that really mattered to her in this moment was that she was here and she had gotten the chance to say it to her._

_Honestly the only thing Alex could recall hearing Piper say was that she loved her. She thought it would feel better than this, there was that voice in the back of her mind that just kept telling her that Piper was only manipulating her. Trying to find another way back into her life just so she could destroy what they'd built together once again._

_"Alex, you're shaking." Alex suddenly felt the blonde grab onto her arm and guide her over to the couch._

_They both sat, Piper placing Elliot on her lap facing toward Alex. She was thankful Piper had actually taken notice to the state she was in, another moment and she probably would've been on the floor._

_Alex refused to look at Elliot, but she could just feel his eyes on her, more than likely wondering who the hell this stranger was that had decided to intrude in on his life._

_"I just.." Alex fidgeted nervously, the words she'd planned on saying now becoming jumbled in her head. "We were supposed to do this together. I was supposed to have nine months to get used to the idea of being a mother, I was gonna be there with you through it all. Be there for him from day one and you took that away from me."_

_Piper looked away from Alex, she no longer wanted to see her hurt in her eyes. She leaned down, placing a kiss on the top of Elliot's head. To her surprise he'd stayed silent during her conversation with Alex, normally he was fussy without almost constant entertainment._

_"Do you wanna hold him?" Piper needed to change the subject, she just couldn't argue with Alex any longer. She wasn't sure how she could explain her reason for keeping Elliot from her. She glanced back up at Alex quickly, trying to read her expression, searching her eyes for an answer. She really didn't know what her response would be._

_Alex was taken aback by Piper's question. She was afraid to even acknowledge her own son, and Piper was to blame. There was this immense fear that she would bond with him instantly, love him more than she'd ever loved anyone and then Piper would take him. And run, again._

_She just couldn't let this opportunity go, she had to take it while she still could. Alex nodded shyly. "I guess, yeah."_

_Piper smiled widely, soon after noticing the frightened look in Alex's eyes. She hated to see what she had done to her._

_Alex held out her hands as Piper handed Elliot over to her. She awkwardly held him away from her body, his feet pressing into her thighs as they finally came face to face. They just stared at each other, both completely unsure of what to do for a moment._

_Piper mostly watched for Elliot's reaction to Alex, he didn't do very well with anyone he didn't know. And it was ridiculous that his own mother was a stranger to him, someone he had never known, someone he should've always known, but Piper had prevented that._

_Elliot finally smiled, reaching for Alex, tugging on her shirt. She carefully pulled him in closer to her, her arm wrapped around him while he rest his head against her chest. He already meant the world to her, he was apart of her she never knew was missing. She kissed the side of his head, hugging him close to her as a few tears rolled down her cheeks._

_The blonde was stunned by Elliot's immediate acceptance of Alex. It was like she was familiar to him, like he just knew exactly who she was and how much she meant to him. She wanted to stay wrapped up in this moment forever, she didn't want to go back to reality. The reality where she feared she and Alex would never find a way around this._

_"Doesn't he look just like you?"_

_Alex looked up at Piper, nodding her head as she quickly wiped the tears from her face. "Yeah, cute kid." She laughed, but it was short lived. She looked down at Elliot, noticing he had been playing with the ring hanging from the chain around her neck. She hoped Piper hadn't noticed it. She had tried throwing her wedding ring in the back of a drawer and forgetting about it, but she always went back for it. He began pulling at it, a little harder than she would've liked._

_"Elliot, stop. You'll break mommy's necklace." Piper immediately began to question her choice of words. It was instinctive, it came naturally. Whenever she spoke to Elliot of Alex she would always refer to her as mommy._

_Alex looked up at her Piper wide eyed, did she really just refer to her as mommy? She got that sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, she was nervous again. She couldn't do this, it was too much all at once. "I can't.." She mumbled to no one in particular before handing Elliot back to Piper and standing from the couch. "I gotta go."_

_"Alex, what's wrong?" Piper stood from the couch as well, Elliot on her hip as she watched Alex nearly sprint for the exit. Her only response the slamming of the front door._

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><p>Piper was awoken in the middle of the night by the sound of her phone ringing. She sluggishly raised her head, looking at the clock. It was nearly 3 a.m.<p>

She grabbed her phone from the nightstand, unlocking it blindly as her eyes slid shut once again. "Hello?"

There was nothing but silence on the other end, she was about to hang up when she finally heard; "I wanna see him again."

She sat up quickly, the sound of Alex's voice waking her completely. She leaned back against the headboard, rubbing her eyes in confusion, wondering why Alex had waited until such a late hour to call her back. "You can see him anytime you want, but.." She trailed off for a moment.

Alex sighed heavily, of course there was a but. This couldn't be good. "But what?"

"I don't know how much longer we'll be here." Piper finally continued. "I've imposed on Polly long enough. I was only supposed to be here for a couple of days, but I just couldn't leave until I heard back from you." She waited for something, anything really from Alex but she remained quiet. "I refuse to stay with my mother and we have nowhere else to go."

"Of course." Alex said. That's what Piper always did, when things got rough she would run. Alex wouldn't allow it to happen this time, though. She refused to be separated from her son.

"It's not what you think. I'm not trying to take Elliot away from you, but we have to go home." Piper frowned at her own words. Anywhere she was with Alex was her real home, but she had ruined any chance of that.

"Where is home?" Alex asked, suddenly realizing she knew nothing about Piper's life now.

"Seattle."

"Jesus, Piper. You didn't have to move clear across the country just to get away from me."

Piper went silent, unsure of just what she could say. It felt like they'd had this conversation so many times before. She was forever leaving.

"Stay with me."

The blonde narrowed her eyes, thinking profusely, wondering if she'd heard her right. Surely she hadn't. "What?"

"Come here, stay with me. I wanna be close to Elliot." Alex could hear the shock in Piper's voice, she was even surprised herself. But she didn't know what else to do. She couldn't let Piper take her son away from her.

"Alex, I don't know.."

"Just do it. Don't argue with me about it or over-think it. You owe me at least this much after everything you've put me through, don't you think? I deserve to see my son."

Piper couldn't disagree with her, she did owe her so much and she wanted Elliot to know Alex. He needed her in his life and she needed him. "Okay.." She finally accepted, so thankful that Alex couldn't see just how excited she really was. "We'll do it."

Alex smiled to herself, but felt the need to explain the arrangement she had planned to Piper. "This isn't for you." She began. "It's for Elliot. I still don't trust you and I'm not sure if I ever will again. We'll just be like, roommates." She knew her words sounded ridiculous, but she didn't want Piper to take her invitation the wrong way. This wasn't an attempt at trying to repair their relationship.

"Oh, yeah.. of course, yeah." The disappointment in Piper's voice quite apparent. "I know. It's for Elliot."


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys! I'm so sorry it's taken me this long to update.****I've had writer's block and I'm still not satisfied with the way this turned out.**  
><strong>Any suggestions or feedback would be greatly appreciated.<strong>  
><strong>Thanks for being patient with me!<strong>  
><strong>Please review and let me know what you think!<strong>

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><p>Alex carried a box through the hall, her view almost entirely obstructed as she made her way toward the living room.<p>

Piper had moved in with Alex a little over a week ago, but her things had just arrived from Seattle. So far it had been a week of thick tension, awkward bathroom run ins and thousands of attempts of avoidance on Alex's behalf, which was much harder to do than she thought it would be since they were confined to such a small space.

Alex stepped into the living room, glancing down to see Elliot. She dropped the box onto the floor, gasping rather loudly. "Elliot, stop that!"

Just before unpacking Alex had been reading one of her favorites from Emerson. The book was first edition, very rare and expensive. She had carelessly thrown it onto the coffee table where Elliot had apparently happened upon it. He had the book open midway, ripping and crumbling pages.

Alex snatched the book out of his hands and he looked up at her rather confused.

"Piper!"

Piper walked out of the guest bedroom that Alex had so graciously offered her, since of course they were only roommates and couldn't sleep in the same bed. "What?" She asked almost unconcerned, although the tone in Alex's voice suggested she was nearly fuming.

She placed her hands on her hips, letting out a frustrated sigh. "I'm kinda busy right now."

Alex raised the book, hoping it would catch Piper's focus. "Do you see what _your_ son did?"

"Oh, so he's _my_ son now that he's done something wrong?" Piper arched an eyebrow, her arms crossing just before she shrugged her shoulders. "It's just a book."

"Piper, this isn't just a book. Do you know how long it took for me to even find this?" Alex tossed the book back onto the coffee table, her gaze still focused on Piper. There was no need to worry about the condition of the book anymore, Elliot had already destroyed it.

"Why weren't you watching him?"

Piper's mouth fell ajar and she tiled her head back, her eyes closing tightly before she laughed at the ridiculousness of Alex's question. "Alex, you shouldn't leave your things lying around. Elliot doesn't care how long it took for you to find that book or how much it cost."

"If you had been watching him, this wouldn't have happened." Normally Alex couldn't imagine herself getting so upset over something as absurd as this. Part of her thought that maybe she was just picking a fight with Piper to further push her away and assure that she would be kept at a comfortable distance.

"Why don't you just put your shit away instead of blaming me?"

Piper walked over to Elliot and picked him up. She looked down at him, noticing his pouty lips. Even he could tell something was wrong and maybe he believed it was his fault.

Alex only groaned in annoyance and turned to leave the room. She knew Piper was right, she wasn't the one at fault here.

Piper carried Elliot into the guest bedroom and sat him on the bed. She pulled a couple things out of one of the boxes on the floor and walked toward the closet. She looked back over her shoulder, noticing Elliot's eyes were nearly burning a hole through her.

"Y'know," Piper began. "That wasn't very nice, Elliot."

His pout reappeared and she shook her. He already had his own little tricks and assumed they would always work on Piper. Little did he know she had him figured out.

"Don't give me that look, you should be more careful with mommy's things."

Piper knew he didn't understand, which meant this speech was pointless. But he needed to be taught right from wrong, even at an early age. "And the funny thing is, she's mad at me because of it." She glanced over at him and he was only staring up at her with an uninterested look on his face. Apparently he didn't find it all that funny.

"Can you believe that?" Piper asked dramatically, throwing her hands up to add effect.

Elliot laughed and leaned forward, reaching for her. She smiled and pulled him up into her arms. "I think you owe mommy an apology."

Piper walked into Alex's room and she turned quickly when she heard footsteps behind her. Piper held Elliot up in front of her face. "Truce?" She asked as she tilted her head to the side, looking at Alex from behind their son.

Alex only laughed and shook her head. Elliot was smiling widely and reaching for her, his arms and legs almost flailing.

"He's sorry about what he did." Piper spoke again, looking to Alex for a reaction.

Alex took Elliot from Piper's arms, holding him close to her chest. His fingers wrapped in her hair and he buried his face in the crook of her neck. "I don't know, I think he's just being a little kiss ass like you."

"Alex!"

"What? I'm only kidding." She looked down at Elliot and he lifted his head to look up at her. "I could never be angry with you." She leaned down, kissing his nose and he giggled in response.

Alex sat down on the bed with Elliot, Piper sitting close next to her soon after. They were silent for a few moments, neither of them exactly sure of what to say next. This was definitely an unusual situation.

"I'm not sure if I've actually taken a moment to thank you for letting us stay here. So, thank you, Alex. This is what I've always wanted, I mean.. to see you with Elliot that is and he loves you so much already."

She only nodded in response. Piper was the one who had kept them separated so for Alex it was doubtful that seeing her with their son was all she had ever wanted. She kept quiet, though. In fear she may start a much more heated argument between the two of them.

Alex looked down to see Elliot curled up against her, his eyes closed and his thumb in his mouth. She smiled at the sight before turning her attention to Piper. "I love him, too."

* * *

><p>Piper quickly sat straight up, breathless as she glanced around the room. She soon found her composure again, releasing a ragged breath. She'd had another nightmare.<p>

She knew there was always that chance Kubra would find them. Alex would be the one punished for what Piper had failed to do; stay away. She just couldn't leave again, though. She still wouldn't feel safe.

She stood from the bed, quietly making her way toward Elliot's room. She slowly opened the door, looking in on him. He'd adjusted quite nicely to sleeping alone and the transition didn't take nearly as long as Piper had expected. He was sleeping soundly, unaware of the very possible danger they could be in.

After checking and of course double checking that the front door was securely locked Piper almost tip toed into Alex's room.

She didn't want to bother her this late, but honestly she was terrified and Alex was her only comfort.

"Alex." Piper whispered while poking her shoulder.

Alex swatted Piper's hand away, groaning and stretching as she looked up at Piper through narrowed eyes. "What?" She asked groggily.

"Can I sleep with you?"

Alex sighed and pulled the cover up to her chin, closing her eyes as she rolled over onto her side. "No, go away." She was in no mood for this.

"Please," Piper pleaded, quite discouraged by Alex's response. "I'm scared."

Alex glanced back up at Piper once again to notice the look in her eyes after hearing such longing in her voice. She looked like a child, standing over Alex's bed and begging for safety from the monster in her closet.

"Fine, get in.. but stick to your side of the bed."

The blonde slid into bed behind Alex, but failed to comply with her wishes as she draped her arm over her. Piper's front pressed into Alex's back and she sighed happily, even though most of Alex's hair was covering her face.

Alex's body stiffened at the contact, she wasn't sure how she should respond. She wanted to pull Piper close and hold on tight, but the logical reaction would be to push her away. It was the only way to assure she wouldn't have a broken heart to mend for the third time.

"Piper, what are you doing?" Alex questioned, her voice barely above a whisper.

Piper's forehead pressed against the back of Alex's neck and she bit down hard on her lower lip. Tears were rolling down her cheeks and she was afraid if she were to open her mouth to respond to Alex's question nothing other than a sob would come out. So, she kept quiet.

"Piper?" She spoke again, almost certain Piper hadn't fallen asleep that quickly.

Alex waited a couple of moments, still with no response from Piper. She reluctantly rolled over to face her, immediately noticing the tears streaming down her face. "Hey, what's wrong?" Alex placed her hand on Piper's cheek, her thumb wiping away the tears. Even after all the shit Piper had put her through, after all the times she'd left and broken her heart Alex hated to see her hurting, she hated to see her cry.

Piper pulled Alex closer to her, laying her head against her chest. The blonde's arm wrapped around her tightly and she finally let out the sorrowful sobs she had been concealing.

Alex wrapped her arm around Piper as well, holding her close. She didn't know what was happening, but she would give Piper all the time she needed to release whatever this was she'd obviously been suppressing.

"Alex, I'm sorry." The blonde spoke against Alex's skin, her tears never ceasing. "I'm so sorry. I didn't want to leave. He made me." Piper looked up at her, Alex's eyes pulling her in. "He made me do it. You believe me, don't you?"

Alex furrowed her brows in confusion, Piper seemed disoriented and delusional and she had no idea what the source of it was. "Who made you leave?"

"Kubra."

Alex's grip on Piper loosened and she sat up, looking back at her. She shook her head. "No.. no, you're lying. You're fucking lying to me so you don't have to own up to what you did."

The response she had gotten only made Piper cry harder, she didn't know what she could do or say to convince Alex that she was telling the truth. She would've never left if she had the choice.

"Alex, I'm not lying!" She yelled in frustration. This was so much harder than she had envisioned it would be. "He said he would kill you, I had to leave."

Alex held her face in her hands, hoping to be given a moment to process what she had just heard. So, Piper leaving was her fault? That's sure what it seemed like. If she hadn't gotten involved with Kubra in the first place none of this would've happened.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Piper finally sat up, wiping the tears from her face with her sleeve. "I was afraid. He said if we tried to run he would find us. I was terrified, Alex. I didn't know what to do, so I left."

"We could've found a way." Alex still wasn't completely convinced Piper was telling the truth, but it seemed plausible. Kubra always got his revenge when he was crossed, she knew that.

"I'm sorry." Piper whispered.

Alex pulled Piper into a hug and rubbed her back, hoping it would be enough to calm her down. She didn't know what to make of all this. "What's gonna happen?" She asked as if Piper was in Kubra's head and knew what his next move would be.

"I don't know."

"We'll figure this out. I can't lose you again and no one's gonna take Elliot away from me. I'll kill Kubra myself before I let that happen. Maybe we should leave, get out of the country. If I know him, he's probably still watching us to make sure his plan followed through."

Piper nodded, unsure of what she was agreeing to at the moment. This was all happening so fast. "I just wanna be with you." She confessed.

"We'll always be together. Nothing or no one is gonna take you away from me." Alex left their embrace and looked down at Piper, smiling faintly. She leaned forward and pressed her lips softly against hers. Alex would protect her family from now on. She wouldn't allow Kubra to find another way back in.


	7. Chapter 7

It had been three months since Piper had confessed the real reason behind why she'd left Alex. They hadn't made any real plans to leave yet. They weren't sure if Kubra even knew they'd found each other again. But they still lived in fear that he would catch up to them.

Piper wasn't sure which of them was more paranoid, her or Alex. She was so overprotective of Elliot, she rarely let him out of her sight. Which wasn't necessarily a bad thing, he loved the attention.

Alex was suddenly awoken from her sleep by a suspicious noise coming from the living room. She stood from the bed, slipping her glasses on. They had always made sure to check out every little sound they heard.

Piper woke soon after when she felt the bed shift. She lifted her head and glanced at the clock, noticing it was almost 2 a.m. She saw Alex moving toward the door slowly and instantly knew she'd heard something.

"Alex." Piper spoke softly, but the fear was still evident in her voice. "What is it? What do you hear?"

Alex raised her index finger to her lips, indicating that Piper be silent until she could check out the disturbance or lack there of. She was terrified, but her number one priority was to protect Elliot and Piper. She had failed to do so before, but she wouldn't let anyone break up their family again without a fight.

She slowly tip toed toward the living room, the hardwood floor refusing to comply with Alex's attempts to be quiet. Halfway down the hall she realized she hadn't even grabbed anything to defend herself with, if by chance she came face to face with an intruder, among others.

Piper pulled the cover closer to her chest, clutching it tightly in her hands as she listened to the sound of Alex's footsteps. Their paranoia always seemed to get the best of them. Usually this scenario ended with the two of them laughing at themselves for acting so ridiculously. Although, when it came down to it, they couldn't take any chances.

Alex noticed something dark, moving along the shadows of the room. The sight frightened her, taking her breath away. She regained her composure just seconds later, realizing she needed to warn Piper of the intrusion. Just as she began to yell a hand slipped over her mouth from behind and her warnings were muffled.

"Don't make a fucking sound."

She heard whispered from behind her. It sent chills down her spine, she recognized that voice.

Suddenly the light switched on, the entire room illuminating brightly and revealing that Alex had unknowingly been surrounded the entire time.

Piper saw the light streaming into the bedroom from the living room, assuming Alex hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary. As usual.

"Alex?" She waited momentarily, but was never met with an answer. "Is everything okay?" She hated living this way, in constant fear. Piper wanted better for Alex and their son, for herself. They could run, but what kind of life would that be for Elliot? If they were out of options they would undoubtedly do whatever it took to keep their family together, but she wanted more of a stable lifestyle.

A couple of Kubra's loyal followers were standing on each side of Alex, Kubra himself standing directly in front of her. She hadn't seen her captor's face yet, but she knew exactly who it was. Someone she trusted, someone she thought would do anything to protect her.

"Sorry about all of this, stretch. But you got yourself into this mess, I'm just following orders." She heard that voice from behind her once again, her eyes closing tightly to prevent the tears from falling.

Alex was certain they would kill her if she made even the slightest move but she had to let Piper know she needed to grab Elliot and leave, now. Once she mustered the courage she elbowed her assailant in the stomach, breaking free from the clutches that held her back.

"Piper!" She was sure she had never yelled so loudly in her life before. "Piper, get Elliot! Run!"

Piper threw the cover back in one quick motion, bolting from the bed and down the hall toward Elliot's room. This was it, their greatest fear was becoming a reality. Piper knew exactly what was happening, she could hear it in Alex's voice. He was back. Kubra was here.

She quickly leaned over the side of Elliot's crib, scooping him up into her arms. He was still sleeping soundly, he could sleep through a hurricane if need be.

Piper glanced around the room, panic beginning to set in as she tried coming up with a way to escape. Going through the living room and out the front door obviously wasn't an option. She ran over to the window, struggling to unlock it and push it open.

"Get her! Go!" Kubra's voice bellowed through the quaint apartment as one of the men ran toward Elliot's room and the other grabbed Alex, spinning her around so she now came face to face with the final intruder. Nicky.

Everyone in Alex's life had betrayed her, shattered her heart, given her a dozen reasons never to trust again. She thought Nicky was different, she thought they were really friends. How could she be so stupid? The timing was so suspicious now that she thought about it. Nicky had walked into her life just as Piper walked out. She was Kubra's informant, sent to keep an eye on Alex to ensure his plan followed through.

Piper was struggling to squeeze through the window with Elliot in her arms when Kubra's goon grabbed onto her shirt, pulling her back into the room. Her back hit the floor first, her head following soon after. It hit with enough force that her vision went blurry and everything around her seemed to be at a far distance now. She could hear Elliot crying, but it was nothing more than an echo.

Suddenly she was being pulled to her feet, but she could barely stand. She knew Elliot was no longer in her arms, she had no idea where he was. His cries hadn't ceased, but she still couldn't discern where exactly they were coming from. She was useless now, her body refused to do as she requested. She wanted to fight, scream, run, but nothing was happening. She couldn't even speak. She was convinced Alex could take care of herself as well as Elliot. Maybe they could get away, she didn't care about what happened to her. They were more important.

Alex looked up when she heard Elliot crying. He was in the arms of a stranger, he was scared and reaching for Piper who was very obviously stunned.

"Piper.." She whispered to herself, a few tears escaping her after seeing the love of her life in such a condition.

Alex fought against the restraint that held her back, but her strength was nothing compared to the man who kept her from the only two people she cared about in the world. She had imagined this differently, she had envisioned saving her family in such a situation. She felt so helpless.

"Kubra, please.. let them go. I'll do whatever you want. Anything, it doesn't matter. You name it, please." Her voice was strained as she tried her best to keep her composure. She wanted to break down, curl into a ball of defeat. That look in his eyes told her all she needed to know. This was just the beginning, much more was to come.

Kubra only laughed in response to Alex's pleas, this was exactly what he wanted. To see her squirm, to watch her break down right in front of him. He could've killed her, but it wouldn't be nearly as much fun as this.

"Get the baby." Kubra's attention turned toward Nicky and of course she followed orders, doing as she was told.

"Nicky, stop! Please, you don't have to do this." Alex couldn't hold back any longer, tears were streaming down her face and she was sobbing uncontrollably. She was inconsolable now, all she cared about was her son and Piper. They were going to be taken from her, again. She would never survive without him. "Please." She spoke between sobs. "Please, don't hurt him."

Piper was forcefully thrown onto the ground, but luckily she'd caught herself before her head hit the floor for a second time. Her vision was still somewhat blurry and her head was pounding. She could still hear Elliot crying and now Alex yelling, but reality was beginning to fade out. She pressed a shaky hand against the back of her head, wincing at the pain. She looked down at her hand, it was all a blur but she could see red. She collapsed onto the floor, losing consciousness soon after.

Kubra looked over at Nicky before nodding toward the door, apparently that was her cue to leave. She held Elliot close to her, squeezing him tightly as he squirmed in her arms and screamed louder than anyone ever imagined he could.

"No!" Alex yelled over Elliot's screaming. "Nicky, stop! Don't take him!" Nicky didn't acknowledge her words, she just receded from the apartment. Alex could hear Elliot's cries growing faint until there was just nothing. They were gone.

"I'll fucking kill you." She gritted through her teeth while looking over at Kubra.

He laughed, pulling a gun from behind him and placing it against Alex's temple. "Not if I kill you first."

His finger was slowly squeezing the trigger and Alex closed her eyes tightly. This was her fault, she'd done this to her family. Maybe if Kubra killed her he would leave Piper alone, give Elliot back and allow her to live the rest of her life in peace.

She waited for what seemed like an eternity, yet she was still here. "Get it over with." She couldn't believe the words that were coming from her mouth.

Suddenly she heard the gun go off and she opened her eyes widely. He hadn't killed her, maybe it was just a warning shot.

"Do you really think I'm gonna make it that easy for you?" He asked as he instructed the man to let Alex go. "No one crosses me." He said angrily as he and his final followers slipped out the door.

She looked up, finally noticing the blood that was pooling on the floor around Piper's abdomen.

"Piper!" She ran over to her, lifting Piper up into her arms. She was sobbing again as she placed her hand over the bullet wound, applying as much pressure as she could.

Piper's eyes opened and she gasped for air, grabbing onto the collar of Alex's shirt tightly.

"Shh.. it's okay. I've got you, baby." She held back another sob as she watched Piper's eyes slide shut once again. "Help! Someone help us, please!" She yelled, hoping someone, anyone would hear her cries.

* * *

><p>Alex held Piper's hand between her own, her chin resting against it. She couldn't cry anymore, it just wasn't possible. Piper had nearly died and she had no idea where their son was.<p>

Piper had a collapsed lung and couldn't breathe on her own, as well as concussion. She hadn't woken up since they left the apartment. Thankfully someone had responded to Alex's cries for help.

She had spoken with the police for nearly two hours and they assured her they would find Elliot and bring him back safely. They should've found him by now, something was wrong. She knew Piper would scold her for staying by her side instead of searching for Elliot, but she didn't know what to do or where to start.

"Miss Vause?"

Alex looked up when she heard her name being called, noticing a police officer standing near the doorway. Hopefully they had found Elliot.

"Yeah, that's me. Did you find him? Where's Elliot?" She quickly stood from her chair, gently laying Piper's hand back against the hospital bed.

The officer walked over to Alex, swiftly pulling her hands behind her back with great force before placing handcuffs around her wrists tightly.

"Miss Vause, you're under arrest for attempted murder. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be held against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney if you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you. Do you understand?"

"No.. no, I didn't do this! Why are you arresting me?" Her entire body was shaking, was this really happening? Did Kubra find a way to frame her?

"A witness has come forth, stating they were present when you shot the victim."

"It wasn't me!" She yelled as the officer led her out of the hospital room.

As they were approaching the exit she noticed Nicky step around the corner, watching as she was being led away.

"What did you do?!" Alex's jaw fell open and she stared at Nicky, the betrayal conveying from her eyes. "What the fuck did you do, Nicky?!"

Nicky shrugged her shoulders, showing no remorse for her false accusations. "Only what I was told."


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks so much for sticking with me, you guys!**

**I couldn't continue this story without your support, I appreciate every one of you. **

**I hope you all enjoy and please review!**

* * *

><p>Alex tapped her foot against the floor rapidly, her leg shaking nervously while she stared to her right. She was looking into her own reflection, but she could feel eyes other than her own watching her. She never understood what the point of these two way mirrors were, everyone knew they were being observed. The thought of being watch made her apprehensive, but maybe that was the point.<p>

She stood from her chair, walking over to the mirror. She knocked on it furiously a few times, hoping she would develop some type of vision that would allow her to see through to the other side.

"How fucking long are you gonna keep me waiting? I've been here for an hour already!" She'd already moved past impatiently irritated, she was pissed.

Every second Alex spent here was time wasted and obviously the police weren't prioritizing very well. Hopefully Piper would be safe at the hospital, but she couldn't even think about what may be happening to Elliot. She tried blocking those dark thoughts from her mind, but the worst case scenarios kept playing on a reel in her head. She'd done this, put the people she loved most in the world in danger. It brought tears to her eyes, but she quickly dried them away.

She needed to get out of here as quickly as possible. She knew Kubra much better than he thought she did and despite the previous setback she would find him, and kill him. As well as anyone who threatened to stand in her way, Nicky included.

Alex looked up after hearing the door click to notice someone had already entered the room, as well as closed the door behind him. She had been too consumed by her thoughts of the nights events to even notice they had responded to her outburst.

"Miss Vause, I'm Detective Healy. Have a seat, we'll get started."

It seemed like more of an order than a request, but Alex complied, sitting in her previous seat.

Detective Healy threw a file onto the table before taking a seat on the opposite side of the Alex. Apparently they had compiled much more information on her than she had previously assumed.

"So, Miss Vause.." His tone was lethargic, his focus falling on Alex as his eyes narrowed. "You do understand there's an overwhelming amount of evidence against you, right?"

She wasn't sure how to respond, even just the simplest head nod could send her back to prison. She had been promised a court appointed attorney, but he'd yet to show. Now she began to regret calling him in here.

"Are you even supposed to being doing this? My attorney isn't here."

"You're the one who wanted to move things along. If I can just go ahead and get a confession from you as well as your signature on this affidavit then things will begin to move much swifter."

Her brows furrowed, her jaw clenching slightly as she began to shake her head. "There's nothing to confess to, I didn't do this. I spoke with the police at the hospital earlier. This was Kubra, he's just-" She paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. She was beginning to realize there was no way anyone would really believe her. "he's framing me."

"Miss Vause, we have a witness. So, just cut the act already." He was becoming frustrated with her lack of cooperation.

"This isn't an act, he has my son!"

Detective Healy leaned back into his chair, stretching a little with this smug look on his face. Like this case isn't of importance, like Piper and Elliot's lives aren't at steak. "You do realize we know what an accomplished criminal you are."

Alex gripped the edge of the table, leaning forward in her chair. "That's who I was, not who I am. I'm not like that anymore. I did my time for the drug smuggling, now I'm just trying to live my life right. Why the fuck would I wanna hurt Piper? She's-"

"Maybe because she kept your son from you all this time. You wanted to get back at her." He interrupted.

"So, I fucking shot her?! That's a bit much!" Alex yelled, her knuckles turning white while she was sure her eyes were beginning to burn with rage. She couldn't believe the audacity of this fucking asshole.

"But you did shoot her, right?"

"No, I didn't. Fuck!"

Alex, as well as Detective Healy, looked up when the door opened slowly. Another officer stepped inside the interrogation room, the look on his face timid.

"Detective Healy.." He spoke with no authority at all, which made Alex roll her eyes.

"What the hell do you want, Bennett?"

"The shooting victim.." He paused for a couple of seconds. "Chapman," He spoke with little confidence, unsure of the name. "She's awake now, they want you to get down there and question her right away."

"Piper's awake?" Alex asked, standing from her chair.

Bennett gave her a confused look, ignoring her question as he turned his attention back to Detective Healy.

"Take Miss Vause here to one of our holding cells. I'm sure we'll be charging her soon."

Bennett walked over to Alex as Detective Healy exited the room. He grabbed her arm, pulling her out the door and toward the holding cells.

He opened the cell door and without even an ounce of resistance Alex walked in, listening to the sound of the door closing and locking. She was so thankful Piper was awake, now she needed to find Elliot.

She took a seat on the floor, leaning against the bars of the cell. Her head was spinning, she couldn't stop thinking. Her mind kept going back to those families you'd see on the news occasionally, begging for their child's safe return. She always sympathized with them, but never completely grasped the heartbreaking reality of the situation. Now she knew how they felt. She understood the longing in their voice, the terror in their eyes. The pain was excruciating.

Her sweaty palms were rubbing against her jeans, her head bowed while tears fell from her eyes. She had never been so terrified in her life. She had failed to protect her son. He depended on her and she couldn't keep him safe. She didn't deserve to be his mother.

Alex's hands caught her attention, the noise of the police station fading away. She had scrubbed her hands at least five times at the hospital, but her fingernails were still stained red with Piper's crimson blood. Alex couldn't close her eyes, she kept seeing it. Even blinking was difficult.

It had been at least another hour when she noticed Bennett approaching her cell. He unlocked the door, opening it and standing back. "You're free to go."

She sighed in relief, shock taking over as she pushed past him. Not bothering to question her release. She needed to get to Piper immediately.

She rushed out of the police station, quickly hailing a cab and slipping inside.

Another twenty minutes and Alex was finally at the hospital. She ran through the double doors, never stopping until she made it to Piper's room. She stepped in the doorway, feeling like the breath had been knocked out of her when she saw Piper sitting up. She smiled faintly, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Piper.."

Piper turned her head, gasping when she saw Alex in the doorway.

"Alex!" She exclaimed, holding out her arms.

Alex ran to her side, nearly falling into Piper's arms. "I thought I was gonna lose you." She sighed, squeezing Piper in her arms.

"Not too tight." Piper winced and Alex pulled away slightly.

"Alex, what's going on?" Piper's eyes filled with tears and she gripped Alex's arms tightly, staring into her eyes.

Alex instantly realized Piper was unconscious when Nicky took Elliot. She would have to tell her and break her heart.

"They took him, Piper. They have our baby."

Piper's breath hitched in her throat, she didn't think she would be able to take another breath. The tears finally began to fall from her eyes, her mouth agape. She shoved Alex away from her, her fists clenching near her sides.

"What did you do?!"

"Piper, what are y-"

"This your fault! If you hadn't.." She cut herself off, her breathing uneasy as her eyes closed tightly.

Alex slid in closer to Piper, wrapping her arms around her again. She stroked her hair, kissing the side of her head. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry." She kept repeating close to Piper's ear.

Piper laid her head against Alex's chest, crying hysterically to say the least. Her chest rising and falling rapidly as she tried to control her breathing.

"Piper, I'll find him. I swear. I'll kill Kubra and this will be over. I'm so sorry I've put you and Elliot through so much shit. I'm sorry."

Piper lifted her head, looking up at Alex with bloodshot eyes. "You have to find him, please. I can't.. I won't survive without him."

Alex nodded. "I will."

They remained silent for a couple of minutes before Alex glanced over at Piper. "Have you seen Nicky?"

"Yeah. She said she wanted to talk to you when you got here."

Alex arched an eyebrow. "Do you remember seeing her at the apartment?"

"No," Piper shook her head. "she was there?"

Alex hadn't even heard Piper's question as she stood from the bed and pulled her phone out of her pocket. She knew this was a long shot, but she scrolled through her contacts looking for Nicky's name. She didn't know what she wanted, but she'd take a chance.

She held the phone to her ear, listening to it ring agonizingly slow.

"Hello?"

Just hearing Nicky's voice made Alex's blood boil, but she knew she could get to Kubra through Nicky.

"Nicky, where's Elliot? Where are you keeping him?" She wasted no time getting straight to the point.

"He's with me. We're here."

"Where?"

"At the hospital, I've been waiting for you."

Alex wasn't sure what to say, but just as she opened her mouth Nicky began to speak again.

"Just meet me in the parking lot." Soon after her last word the line went dead.

Alex grabbed Piper's hand and squeezed it gently as she kissed her lips softly. "I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?"

"To get our son back." She walked out of the hospital room and toward the exit, trying to keep her composure. It'll be all she can do to keep from bashing Nicky's head into the pavement.

Finally she caught sight of Nicky and Elliot was in her arms. He was still, but seemed unharmed.

Alex ran over to her and without hesitation Nicky handed Elliot over to her. "I'm sorry, Vause."

Elliot looked up at Alex and gripped onto her tightly while his eyes closed shut. Alex kissed the top of his head, holding him close to her chest.

She looked up, her gaze focusing on Nicky. "Tell me what you're gonna do to keep me from killing you with my bare hands."

"I just.." She paused. "I had time to think about it. I got mixed up in this shit so fast, I didn't know you then. I really needed the money. A junkie's gotta supply her habit, y'know? So, it was easy for me to agree to betray you. I got to know you, though, and you're a good person. I like you, Vause. I couldn't do this to you."

Alex sighed, rubbing Elliot's back. She wasn't going to trust Nicky, she couldn't believe any of this.

"You don't gotta worry about killing me, Kubra will do that for you. He doesn't know I'm here. This wasn't part of the plan. So, either you gotta take your son and Piper, and run or you gotta stay here and kill that son of bitch. Those are your only options."

Alex turned to walk away from Nicky, she wasn't gonna forgive her or tell her that it's okay because it wasn't. She would never forgive her.

Nicky grabbed onto Alex's arm. "Alex.."

She was surprised when she heard her name, Nicky never used her first name. Alex glanced back at her.

"I'm sorry."

Alex only nodded and walked back into the hospital, quickly making her way back into Piper's hospital room.

Piper looked up, her tears never ceasing when she noticed Elliot in Alex's arms. She handed their son over to her and Piper hugged him close while Alex wrapped her arms around them both.

Piper placed her hand and Alex's cheek, smiling softly up at her. "Our hero."

Alex chuckled and leaned in to kiss Piper quickly. "Shush.. I'm no hero."


	9. Chapter 9

Alex held onto Piper's hand tightly, nearly dragging her through the airport. She didn't think she would be this stubborn, but apparently she was only fooling herself. They were going to be separated again and it broke her heart, but it was the only way to ensure their safety.

"Alex, I don't wanna go." Piper's voice was shaky as she fought against the tears that were on the verge of spilling over.

"Don't make this harder than it already is." Alex spoke sternly without looking back at Piper. She didn't wanna see that look on her face, but she could already imagine it.

Elliot seemed to be content, obviously because he had no idea what was about to happen.

"Maybe we can stay a little longer."

Alex sighed and stopped in her tracks, turning to look back at Piper. She placed her hands on her shoulders. "You have to go, we're out of options. I have to keep both of you safe. We had to wait two weeks for you to be released from the hospital, who knows what revenge Kubra's been plotting. We don't have time to waste, Piper."

A single tear slipped down Piper's cheek and Alex quickly wiped it away, smiling down at Elliot who was cradled comfortably in Piper's arms. She didn't want him to see either of them have a breakdown. He'd been through enough already.

"You can't do this alone." Piper spoke softly, glancing around at the people who were quickly brushing by them. She didn't want anyone to overhear their conversation.

"I can and I will. I don't want you and Elliot around for this. He's doing this because of me. I'll take care of him, don't worry about me."

"What if I never see you again?" Piper hated to ask, but this whole thing frightened. Alex was trying to be their savior, but what if she got herself killed in the process.

Alex didn't respond right away, the question surprised her.

"Please, go with us."

Alex took Piper's hand in her own once again and led her over to a sitting area. They both sat and Alex stared over at Piper. "Piper, I can't. You know that. We aren't going to run forever, I want to end this now." She squeezed her hand. "Just pick a place and go, soon. It'll make it easier."

"You won't even let me tell you where we're going. How will you find us? What if I don't hear from you?"

"You will, I promise. I'll call as soon as it's over and we'll be together again. You, me and Elliot. We'll live the life we were meant to live. We won't fear for our life or constantly be looking over our shoulder."

Piper handed Elliot over to Alex, not bothering to say anything to her last statement. She knew Alex was right. She needed to trust her, but it was so hard. She couldn't lose her again. She held her face in her hands, losing the battle against her emotions.

Alex turned Elliot to face her and noticed him looking up at her, smiling widely. "You know I love you more than anything, right?" She asked, assuming he did know. She loved him more than anything in the world and she'd give her life to keep him safe. "And I will see you again." These words meant nothing to him, but Alex needed this goodbye.

She pulled him in closer to her, hugging him tightly. "You gotta go away with mommy for a little while, but I'll be there soon and we'll all be together again. Forever."

Alex placed her hand on Piper's back, rubbing it gently. This was about to break her, but Alex knew she could stay strong for Elliot. She would get through this. "Piper, you need to go."

Piper finally looked up, shaking her head. "I can't."

"You can. You can do this, you did it before." Alex smiled, her tone sarcastic.

Piper nudged her playfully. "This is no time to joke."

Alex ignored Piper's nudge while she kissed the top of Elliot's head and hugged him again. The thought that this would all be a distant memory soon was the only thing that fueled her further so she'd follow through with this. She would kill Kubra if it was the last thing she did.

"Come on." She stood, placing Elliot on her hip while she pulled Piper up from her seat. "It's now or never."

Piper pulled Alex into her arms, hugging her tightly.

"Piper, I can't.. breathe." She did her best to force a laugh, really she wished Piper would hold her just that much tighter.

"Alex, stop!"

"You know sarcasm is how I cope."

Piper looked up at her, holding back a sob. She couldn't do this. She knew Alex was only trying to lighten the mood, but it wasn't working.

"Alright, I'm sorry." Alex pulled Piper in, pressing her lips against hers softly, lingering there for a moment. She hesitantly pulled away, smiling down at her as she tucked a stray strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "Don't worry so much, I'll be fine."

They embraced again, Elliot tucked snugly between the two of them. "I miss you already." Piper said interrupting their silence.

"It won't be long, I promise."

Piper tightened her grip on Alex, afraid she may slip away just a moment too soon. "I love you."

Alex closed her eyes tightly, sighing under her breath. She could listen to Piper say that over and over again. She never grew tired of it. "I love you, too."

Eventually they pulled away from one another, leaving the warmth of their lasting embrace. Alex quickly looked down at Elliot. "And I love you, too." She kissed the side of his head before handing him back to Piper.

"So, this is goodbye?"

"Only for a little while."

Piper leaned in giving Alex one last kiss before quickly brushing by her. She couldn't stand there any longer, she would never leave if she did. She turned, looking back at Alex. "Don't you dare die on me."

"I won't."

With that Piper continued through the airport, Elliot looking over her shoulder at Alex until they were out of sight. Alex let out a deep breath, now she could cry. She didn't want to do it in front of either of them. Elliot was probably so confused. She had just gotten him back, now he was gone again. Kubra was to blame, she wouldn't forget that.

She sat down, wringing her hands as she tried to keep her emotions in check. She had so much rage bottled up that would soon be taken out on Kubra. She wouldn't hold back.

Alex had spoken to Nicky a couple of times following their last meeting. Apparently she'd been in hiding since betraying Kubra's trust, she'd already seen the havoc that would be wreaked as consequence. She had planned to lure Nicky out of hiding to get to him. It was a risk, but Nicky was the sacrifice. Alex thought she deserved it, anyway.

She pulled out her phone, the screensaver holding her attention for a few seconds. Of course it was Piper and Elliot. She wanted to cry, but she managed to keep it together, quickly dialing Nicky's number.

It only rang a couple of times before Alex heard someone pick up, but she didn't speak. "Nicky, it's Alex. Are you really that fucking paranoid? You know my number."

"There's no such thing as too paranoid when someone like Kubra's on your ass. What do you need, Vause?"

She knew she was putting way too much trust into Nicky, but she had no other choice. "I need you to contact him, ask him to meet you somewhere. I don't know how else to get to him."

"Fuck that!" She heard ring through the phone loudly. "You're gonna have to come up with something else, onto plan B."

"You fucking owe me." Alex gritted through her teeth.

"I don't know.. you know he'll try to fucking kill me."

"Do I really need to remind you of what you did to my family? You don't even have to show up, I'll be there waiting for him. You aren't necessary after you set up the meeting. Just ask him to come alone." Alex was sure the desperation could be heard in her voice, but she didn't care. Honestly, she was desperate. She was conspiring with someone who'd completely betrayed her trust.

"I'll see what I can do. I'm not making any promises." There was a long pause, neither of them able to speak for a moment. "I'll get back to you soon."

Alex ended the call. Now all she had to do was wait. It would be difficult, but worth it in the end when she had Piper and Elliot in her arms again.


End file.
